Kidnapping expert kidnapped

Nothing says 'tis the season for giving like kidnapping an expert in kidnappings. Well, this is exactly what happened in my [not so]beloved home country recently as reported here. While I have not been a fan of my birth nation for quite some time, or a fine representative of it, I dare say that the frequent reports of kidnappings, narc killings, corruption scandals and you name it are starting to make me wonder whether things are about to get much worse before things get better. Actually, a supreme court justice in Mexico thinks the country is starting to slip from the hands of those that care for a better Mexico (article in Spanish). While on the topic, an exchange with my sister's boyfriend also yielded this news piece (sorry, also in Spanish) about a drug lord that was busted recenlty and that during a gun fight tried to call for help from two police chiefs.

Maybe I am naive in not worrying for the safety of my mom and sisters who live in Mexico City or my dad and sister who live in Ciudad Juarez and El Paso. I guess I just have convinced myself that since we are not loaded and are not narcs that we should be safe but for a robbery here or there. As far as I know, the only one in my immediate family that has been robbed at gun point was my dad a few years back while taking a cab. My oldest sister has had 2 cars stolen, but never while she was in the car.

Here is hoping that things turn around in Mexico and that Nat and I make it to and back without a hitch.

You tell me this now...

Courtesy of one of Nat's coworkers, US News thinks this about my career. I guess this tells me I should have started my subscription to their mag a long time ago and maybe I should have listened to all the voices in my head.

I [don't] love pirates

Today while driving home from work, Nat and I saw an older Jeep Wrangler that had this I love Pirates bumper sticker. OK, that is not a fair representation of the car. The car had a NJ Devils (the hockey team) tire cover and license plate holder, a NY Giants Super Bowl Champions bumper sticker, as well as about 3 or a dozen more. While there were lots of sports related stickers, I couldn't get past the I heart Pirates sticker, at least in the sense that I thought that sticker basically symbolized the driver of the car being a female. When I verbalized this to Nat, she quickly disagreed with me and asked for my logic.

My logic? While I can see lots of guys covering the back of their car with loads of stickers, I cannot think of a single one that would willing put an I heart Pirates sticker on their car. I mean, what kind of statement is that? It is not a political statement, or a statement of loyalty to a sports team, or crazed philosophy. It's a statement of love for a way of life, that short of this being Somalia, is something reserved for Disney, it goes by the way of a lifestyle similar to those of a LARPers nationwide. In the later case, I doubt a serious pirate would put a sticker on a Jeep Wrangler stating that they love pirates.

Thus, I take my opinion to you, my loyal listeners. I do like pirate movies and even an occasional visit to a theme park, but I do not heart pirates.

Election Special

"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin told host Chris Plante, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."

In other words, Palin wants freedom of speech rights to apply to her but not to the media. Those liberal nutjobs have just gone too far speaking their mind. If you want more on this, here is the entire piece. The best part of this, is that when a coworker told me about this, I thought it was a piece in The Onion.

Joe Plumber

I actually think this video shows Obama in great light. Yes, he take a bit getting into it, but by the end he basically states what most of us on the left believe is the best way to go, tax the rich more than the poor to even out the wealth and keep the middle class strong.

Daily Show Classics

A classic.

and the lesbionics.

Town Hall Meeting

I am going to edit this entry as things pop up during the 2nd debate, which happens to take place in our neighboring university Belmont:

1. Where are all the black folk in this town hall meeting? I see but a few out there. Were these 100 undecided townsfolk not supposed to include a nice cross-section of the population?

2. Second question from a young black man. I hate to continue the race talk, but if a black person votes for McCain will he ever be welcomed home? On a serious note, I guess it looks like it is you white folk out there that need convincing as to whom you are going to vote for.

3. Don't know if you have heard, but McCain said that the "fundamentals of the economy are strong."

4. Message to Teresa Finch: if you are asking a question in a presidential debate that contains about 10 words, I suggest that you do not pause after every 3 words.

5. I had not noticed this before, but McCain is looking a little tired and worn down and he hasn't even started the presidency. Just look at before and after pix of past prez. What will happen to McCain? Do you trust cheerleader Palin to lead your country?

6. Just as I thought we had heard it all before, because this seems more like an hour and a half of stuff we have heard before, Tom Brokaw pulls out his veto pen and asks a question of his own over an online voter question.

We interrupt this townhall meeting for a message from our sponsors (ok, not really), but this is really funny.

After 49 mins I call it quits. Hope you all enjoy the rest of the debate and go Obama!